ADDRESSING SOIL VARIABILITY USING AIR

SEEDERS

Jeff Biggerstaff

Introduction How to determine soil variability How an air seeder works How to use an air seeder for variable

rate application Advantages of addressing variability

How to determine variability

Yield Maps Optical Sensors (i.e. Greenseeker) Treatment Trials (N-Rich Strip) Soil Sampling

How an air seeder works Fan blows seed dropped by air cart to

the seeder Meter rollers drop seeds into seed tubes

to be blown to seeder Ground drive and transmission adjust

the rate of meter roller

How an air seeder works

How to use an air seeder to do variable rate applications

Advantages/Disadvantages Prevents over applying inputs in areas

which do not need them. Can be used to treat problem spots in

fields to increase yields Potentially addresses future problems

associated with input efficiency Expensive start up

Questions?